Now You Don't
by TitanicNerd3
Summary: Autumn… Halloween… Tricks… Mystery…Ghosts…Magic…Death. Rated T for well, pretty obvious reasons and because I'm paranoid!
1. Chapter 1

…**Now You Don't **

_Autumn (part one)__… Halloween… Tricks… Mystery…Ghosts…Magic…Death _

Day One: Sunday 

Riley Litman sits on his porch fiddling his thumbs, thinking. He looks at his red scar running up his arm, memories flash through his head. The sound of leaves crackling make him look up. A black car slides into his neighbor's yard.

KC Costonis sighs as she looks up at her new house. Only one hour away from her old house, but it seemed like around the world. It meant a new school, new friends, and a new boring life. She looks up at her new house and then her surroundings. Something, no someone, caught her timid eyes.

Jackie Zhao rakes the colorful leaves, not noticing anyone…except that new girl. She knew who she was staring at… the mysterious dark Riley Litman. "She doesn't stand a chance!" Jackie scoffed to herself. Riley had Edward Cullen syndrome. He moved here about three years ago and was completely untouchable. Rumor is… he once killed a man. But Jackie doesn't believe in things she can't see.

Sam Hirsch jumps as his phone vibrates in his pocket. "Jackie," He whispers to no one in particular. "Hello?" He speaks into the phone.  
"Sam, get over to my house now! There is a new girl...we need to _welcome_ her to the neighborhood."Jackie seethes.  
"Okay, be over in five!" He grabs his jacket rushes out the door. As he walks to her house, he notices the black car in the driveway of the house across from Jackie's. He walks into her house, finding her with her notebook. "What's the plan?" He asks.

Zack Burke smirks as he watches the happenings of the neighborhood: Riley Litman...Jackie Zhao...Sam Hirsch...and new girl. He wasn't a _stalker_, no he was an _observer_. He was quiet, not many friends, but a head full of ideas. He turns away from his window and begins to read his ghost books. He found comfort in these books. He shuts the book and again looks at his dream equipment, on his computer. If only he could have a team to help him buy these. The gears in his head began to turn.

Day Two: Monday 

KC Costonis takes a deep breath as she walks into the school. Winding through the mass of staring teens to her locker…Locker 112. She opens it; a smell wafts out of it. The smell of death…KC knew it all too well. Suddenly she feels the burning feeling of eyes on the back of her neck. Quickly she whips her head around. It was that boy who lives next to her. They make eye contact, but only for a minute. The football team walks between them and he's gone. Chills crawl down KC's spine as she turns back to her locker. She didn't know anything about this boy, but she was positive she did not want to.

"I have a bad feeling about this new girl…she's gonna bring trouble." Sam Hirsch explains to Jackie during lunch.

"Ugh, Sam stop judging people before you get to know them! We should introduce ourselves!" Jackie exclaims. Two seconds pass before they both burst into boisterous laughter. Sam wipes his eyes, pretending to cry. They stop laughing and sigh.

"Looks like the Fashions are about to attack." Sam grunts, gesturing to the table where KC was sitting alone.

"Awe, I kinda feel sorry for her."

"Why?"

"Well, she's about to get attacked by the _Fashions_." Jackie expressed the last word with mush distaste.

"Are you going all soft on me?"

"Let's just go help her, Sam!"

"Fine!"

Jackie Zhao and Sam Hirsch briskly shuffle to the new girls table. They sit down and stare her down. She looks up, "Hi… um I'm KC." She mutters.

"Sam,"

"Jackie,"

"Okay…"

"Look we aren't here to make friends. We're just here to protect you from the Fashions." Jackie explained. Nodding her head to the four girls dressed in only the most expensive and most stylish clothes. They now had their backs to Jackie, Sam, and KC.

"Thanks, I think."

"Believe me we did you a huge favor."

Riley Litman walks home from school tired of it…tired of everything. He wanted change, something new, but that'll never happen. He walks into his house. Only to find it empty, as always. His mom was almost never home. He walks to his hiding place… the closet in the office. He takes his iPod out of his pocket and lets the music take him over. Ten minutes later he comes out and decides to work on homework. The doorbell rings. He walks to the door and opens it.

"Hi, I'm KC I live…" The girl started.

"No I don't want any cookies, bye!" Riley grunts shutting the door. Seconds later there was another knock. "What the flippen heck!" He yells as he opens in the door.

"As I was saying… I live next door. Well, I just moved here and…"

"Listen, I don't want to be your friend! Go away and go play with dolls or whatever."

"Oh, please! Mister Stare-At -Me-Darkly-Then-Disappear. What the heck was that about?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about! Now seriously…leave." He slams the door again. And KC walks away offended.

Zack Burke grabs a pen and a sheet of paper. He began writing letters to Sam, Jackie, Riley, and new girl. He smiles mischievously. His plan was perfect…flawless. A light knock at the door jolts him. His sister walks in. "What are you up to Zack?" She asks.

"I'm going to get my ghost hunting gear." Zack exclaimed, not looking up.

"How?"

"You'll see,"

"Mom, said you need to do your chores."

"Fine, I'll do them."

"Kay,"

Day Three: Tuesday

Zack Burke slips out of his house, silently, at midnight. He stops at Jackie Zhao's mailbox….Riley Litman's…KC Costonis's… and Sam Hirsch's. At each stop he puts a letter in the mailbox. He quickly tiptoes back to his house and falls into a calming sleep…content with his work.

Jackie Zhao, Sam Hirsch, Riley Litman, and KC Costonis wake up the next morning to find a letter addressed to themselves in their mailbox. They open them, cautiously. They read, their mouths fall open.

**So, what do you guys think? Extremely like out of character, or whatever, I know! Other than that…terrible…terrific…just tell me! This is like the longest chapter I have ever written! Review! **

**UPDATE- The Search For Lincoln the last chapter, WILL be up on Friday! So get ready! **


	2. Chapter 2

…**Now You Don't **

_Autumn __(part two)__… Halloween… Tricks…Mystery…Ghosts…Magic…Death _

Day Four: Wednesday

Dear Lucky Chosen One,

You have been chosen to participate in a Halloween special activity. On Halloween night you and a few other Chosen Ones will be investigating one of the highly paranormal locations in Southern California. Please call 555- 9142 if interested. Ask for Zack. If he isn't in give name, number and message: Let's hang out. Talk to you soon… the spirits are waiting.

Mr. U. N. Owens

What would you do if you were sent this mysterious letter in the mail? Would you discard it and never think of it again? Or would you take it to heart and call straight away?

* * *

KC Costonis read the letter ten more times, each time the offer seemed more and more appetizing. It felt like she was holding a block of gold or a platter of chocolate-chip cookies. "KC, what's taking so long? Get back in here!" Her mother called from inside the house.

"Coming!" She yelled back. Quickly, she stuffed the letter in her pocket and ran to the door. She laid the rest of the mail on the counter and grabbed the milk carton and met her mom in the dining room.

"Go get Andy,"

"Kay, where is he?"

"In his room, as always. Tell him if he isn't down in five minutes he is grounded for a week!"

"Alright!" KC ran up the stairs to the second door on the left. She smirked at the 'Stay Out' sign on the front of the door before knocking. "Andy, you awake?"

"M-hh-mm,"

"Get up!" She yelled.

"Okay-mm," KC swung the door open and pulled the blankets of his bed and went to their joining bathroom and filled a cup with ice cold water. Swiftly, she poured the water on her eighteen year old brother.

"Be downstairs in five minutes or Mom says you're grounded! And I don't think Candy'll be too happy about that!" KC then went to her room, still filled with boxes, and put the letter on her desk. She checked her email on her bright pink laptop. No new emails… of course. Before leaving her room, she checked herself out in her mirror and ran down the stairs.

* * *

The smell of rich coffee carried Riley Litman out of sleep. He looked at his alarm. He grunted as he whimpered aloud, "Four o'clock am." Riley trudged to the kitchen, and blinked at the brightness. Pouring himself a cup of delicious black coffee. Just as he was about to take a sip his mother came rushing into the kitchen. She poured her coffee and grabbed her bag and was about to head out the door.

"A few things: One, Hanna is coming today. Two, your father called. And three: there is a letter for you on the table. Bye, love you!" And she walked out the door.

Riley went over to the table and read it over. "Sounds like a scam to get money." He said to himself. And threw it back on the table. Then he prepared himself for a long, boring day.

Through the day, however, the letter kept eating its way into his mind.

* * *

Jackie Zhao and Sam Hirsch sat at the lunch table silent. They picked at the glop that the school called food. "So," Sam said.

"Can I ask you something Sam?"

"Um, sure."

"Ugh, never mind. It's stupid."

"Hey, guys!" A bubbly KC exclaimed, as she sat down. Sam and Jackie rolled their eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Jackie said through clenched teeth.

"Um, look I know you guys said you don't want to be friends, but I was wondering if you got a strange letter in the mail."

"What letter?" Sam asked.

"It was something about participating in a special Halloween activity." Sam and Jackie were silent. Looking down at their trays. "Fine, I guess you didn't. Bye," KC got up from the table, annoyed. Jackie slid her hand into her pocket and slowly took out a piece of paper. She set it in front of Sam. Sam glanced at the crumbled up letter and took out his own.

* * *

Zack Burke impatiently stared at the silent phone. "Ring…Ring…Ring you stupid phone! I said ring!" He yelled at the phone. Yet, he jumped as the phone really did ring. "H-Hello, Zack speaking."

"Hello, Zack my name is KC Costonis and I received a letter from a certain Mr. U.N. Owen."

"Yeah, and may I ask why you are calling?"

"Well, I'm interested in partaking in the Halloween event."

"Of course… okay on Friday night please come to this address: 888 Fern Street."

"That's the street I'm on!"

"Oh, than it will be easy to find the hou… corporation. Any who, come to the garage and state Name and Business, which will be Halloween, and we will take it from there!"

"Cool, see ya Friday Mr. Owens."

"Please, call me Zack. Goodbye." Zack hung up the phone quite please with himself.

* * *

Riley Litman walked into his house still thinking about that stupid letter. He walked into the kitchen and found their cleaning lady, Hanna. "Hey, Hanna,"

"Hullo, I'm almost done. Then I will leave." Riley nodded his head and was about to head to his room when something caught his eye. The letter was still sitting there on the table. He picked it up and in a rash decision, called the number.

* * *

"What are we going to do?" Jackie asked. Sam and Jackie were sitting in Sam's old tree house in his backyard. It was somewhere that they always went since they first met ten years ago.

"About what?

"The letter, you idiot!" Jackie yelled throwing the pillow at him.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Um, maybe we should call the number?"

"Are you serious? I mean this guy could be a molester or something."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"But, I have always wanted to investigate a haunted house."

"True dat,"

"You know you are truly helpful!"

"Aw, thanks."

"Not!"

"You know what, you are mean! That really hurt my feelings!"

"So sorry for speaking so selfishly,"

"Apology denied,"

"Sam, come on your acting like a middle-aged woman fighting with her husband!"

"You don't love me anymore!"

"You're useless! So we gonna call the guy?"

"Abso-freaking-lutely!"

* * *

**Yay, how awesome are Sam and Jackie? I seriously love writing about them. I sound like a creeper… Okay any way, review! **

**Oh my gosh, I'm back from my vacation early! What? Yeppers! If you can tell I'm UBER hyper… which doesn't help my ADD, so-o-o yeah! Bye, **_**insert witty comment here.**_


	3. Chapter 3

…**Now You Don't**

_Autumn __(part three)__… Halloween… Tricks…Mystery…Ghosts…Magic…Death_

Day Five: Thursday 

Zack Burke's heart almost fell out of his throat as each neighbor called and agreed to come on Friday. He was going to need some help from his brother and sister to make this happen. Begrudgingly, Zack walked to his older brother's bedroom door. Slowly he knocked, his throat getting dryer each second. The door opened. "What do you want?"

Zack gulped then explained, "Um, do you want to make a couple bucks?" His brother narrowed his eyes. Zack could practically hear the gears in his head turning.

"Maybe, what'cha offering?" Zach explained his plan. "Kay, what do ya want me to do?"

"Well, I just need you to great them and have them sit down. Then offer some water or something. That's it!"

"Fine, twenty bucks."

"Ten,"

"Twenty," They went at it for a few seconds, but Zack knew he could trick him.

"Twenty," Zack yelled.

"Ten!"

"Deal," Zack ran away before his brother realized anything. Next was his sister. After an hour of coaxing her, she agreed to help out and act as a secretary… if Zach's her slave for a week. Everything was going awesome! Zack was very pleased with himself.

* * *

"And then I was like '–BAM- take that evil zombie'! He was all like 'Blurgh'… Jackie are you listening?" Sam Hirsch explained during homeroom.

"Um, yeah you were talking about a video game, right?"

"Yeah, what's eating your brains… besides a zombie?"

"Nothing, I'm just taking a tough quiz today in English. And I'm getting nervous about the investigation!"

"Oh, anyway…"

* * *

That night KC laid in her bed wide awake, to excited to sleep. Tomorrow she was going to go to join the group to become a ghost hunter. She always had been interested in the paranormal, but the interest was multiplied a few months ago. She always knew there had to be something out there. Even when she was eight at Camp Alpine, and they would sit around the camp fire and tell ghost stories, she would take them to heart and believe every word. They never scared her. The only time she was ever scared at camp was when one of her camp friends, Diana, thought it would be a great idea to go into the woods and look for Erik, the camp's resident ghost. Scariest night of her life, by far.

Yet, it was thrilling. She finally understood why people jumped out of planes or bungee jump, it was the adrenaline rush. And it was well worth being freaked out for a bit.

* * *

Day Six: Friday 

School seemed to drag on forever for Zack, KC, Riley, Sam, and Jackie. The last bell could not have come sooner. It was the sweetest sound to ever reach their ears. Sam and Jackie rushed to their tree house to wait till it was time to head over. Riley went home and watched T.V. and ate some junk food. Just don't tell his mom. KC ran home and cleaned her room. Whenever she was excited, nervous, angry, well any emotion really she would clean. And Zack rushed home to make sure everything was perfect for tonight.

* * *

Seven o'clock prompt, KC rang the doorbell at 888 Fern Street. A muscular, shaggy haired boy answered the door. "Like hey, welcome to Ghostly Incorporated. May I escort you to Mr. Owen's office?" KC pushed her blonde her behind her ear and giggled a bit.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." KC followed the young man to Mr. Owens's office… Zack's garage. She sat down on a musty, orange colored couch.

"Can I take your jacket? And can I offer you a drink?" She handed him her jacket and asked for just a glass of water. After he left a young girl came walking in.

"Hello, my name is Madelyn. And you must be KC." She explained, shaking hands with her. Just then the boy came back with water and two people. Madelyn sat down at a desk. They sat there, in silence, for a bit. Then a tall boy with spiky hair walked hair walked in. KC recognized him. He was that creepy guy who was staring at her in the hallway.

"Mr. Owens should be here any moment." Madelyn said.

"Who are you?" Sam asked.

"Madelyn, Mr. Owens's secretary."

"Aren't you a little young to be a secretary?"

"Aren't you a little old to be wearing a SpongeBob shirt."

"Hey, you're never too old! SpongeBob is timeless!" Riley rolled his eyes. Sam and Jackie high fived each other. And KC just stared at that super cute who gave her a drink. Suddenly a young boy with curly blond hair walked in.

"You're Mr. Owens? That's it I'm out." Riley said

"Ha, no I'm not him. He's, um, my Uncle. I'm Zack Burkes. The creator and owner of Ghostly Incorporated."

"Then why did Mr. Owens send us letters?" KC asked.

"Well, okay he kind of owns it. I'm too young, so yeah. Any more questions?"

"Nope!" Sam exclaimed.

"Great. So on Halloween, which is next week, we will be investigating California's most haunted place…"

"Linda Vista Hospital?" Sam guessed.

"No,"

"Alcatraz?"

"No,"

"Preston Castle?"

"No! Stop guessing! We can't go anywhere that big or that far away. It's on a larger scale."

"Well… where are we investigating?"

"My aunt Nona's house."

"What?" Everyone yelled.

"Okay, we aren't a very big corporation ergo we can't go to very famous places. But let me tell you Nona's house is filled with ghosts..."

"Did you just say ergo?" Sam interrupted.

"Yeah,"

"Lame! And Ghostly Incorporated… stupid! What are we? Scooby Doo, yeah no! We need a coolio name. Like the Othersiders! Cause we investigate the 'otherside'?"

"Def coolio!" Jackie said.

And so the Othersiders begins. But trouble is just over the horizon. Can they spot it before it's too late?

* * *

**YES! Like this isn't as descriptive or as long as I wanted it to be, but I am very tired and this is the only time I can write. That's dedication, staying up till 11:30 typing this. Ya'll better review! So glad to be back… after my computer blew up (not really, but sounds hardcore). REVIEW!**

**PS Love Sam… you have to! Is it bad that I love the guy I made him be and he probably isn't even like this? Ugh, darn fictional guys stealing my heart! Talking to you Patch Cipriano! I'm such a freak… just ignore me, please! When I'm tired, I'm such a chatter box! Shutting up now… **


End file.
